Avatars

[Giles]

Avatars are possible on this software, but they are currently disabled. I know they don't have them on the other board, but I think they work nicely, if not abused.

(But note that if I had an avatar it would not necessarily be my real likeness).

[Malacandra]

I'm not overly shy, but also wouldn't object to something cartoony.

[Brewha]

I mostly post from work. The fewer pictures on the page - the better, if you ask me.

[Giles]

I mostly post from work. The fewer pictures on the page - the better, if you ask me.

That's a valid issue. In addition, obscene avatars would be breaking the "don't be a jerk" rule, as well as being unsafe for work. However, this board's software seems to limit to 90x90 pixel avatars, which don't use up much bandwidth.

[CRSP]

You can disable avatars in User CP, under the display options tab on the left.

[Brewha]

if they are disable-ible (is that a word?) than I gots no issue. Go nuts!

[WhyNot]

I voted Don't Care, because personally, I really don't care. But if other people want 'em and they're disableable, I support their enabling. I'm generally in favor of increased options, as long as those options include none of the above, if you know what I mean.

[featherlou]

I'm liking them. They are adding a dimension to my surfing that I find myself enjoying.

[levdrakon]

I voted yay.

It's huge banners stuck into sigs I'm afraid of. I assume we can turn them off if they show up.

[CRSP]

I don't think banners in signatures are a good idea: they'd eat through available bandwidth, for a start. A 90x90 avatar is OK, whereas even a moderately sized banner isn't.

[garygnu]

I think with a few rules avatars are great, they allow me to ID a poster with a visual.
Rule #1: No animated avatars.
Rule #2: Avatars must be work-safe and otherwise reasonably tasteful.
Rule #3: No animated avatars.
Rule #4: Avatars should be unique.
Rule #5: No animated avaters.
Rule #6: There is no rule six.
Rule #7: NO animated avatars.

[featherlou]

I think with a few rules avatars are great, they allow me to ID a poster with a visual.
Rule #1: No animated avatars.
Rule #2: Avatars must be work-safe and otherwise reasonably tasteful.
Rule #3: No animated avatars.
Rule #4: Avatars should be unique.
Rule #5: No animated avaters.
Rule #6: There is no rule six.
Rule #7: NO animated avatars.

But...but...it's SPIDERMAN! And he's DANCING!

[What Exit?]

I think with a few rules avatars are great, they allow me to ID a poster with a visual.
Rule #1: No animated avatars.
Rule #2: Avatars must be work-safe and otherwise reasonably tasteful.
Rule #3: No animated avatars.
Rule #4: Avatars should be unique.
Rule #5: No animated avaters.
Rule #6: There is no rule six.
Rule #7: NO animated avatars.

Agree. Really, animated Avatars and smilies are annoying.

[Glazer]

How can I take a pic on my 'puter and turn it into a format to use as an avatar?

[What Exit?]

How can I take a pic on my 'puter and turn it into a format to use as an avatar?

If you don't have an imaging tool you can do it in Paint by using the the Stretch/Skew tool under Image. (Ctrl+W) and then saving it as a jpeg (.jpg). You might have to play with the compression on the save to get the file size small enough.

[Glazer]

Thanks What Exit worked like a charm.

[Diana]

(But note that if I had an avatar it would not necessarily be my real likeness).

----------------------------------> Not my real ass.

(If that avatar isn't okay, I'm happy to change or skip it.)

[XJETGIRLX]

How can I take a pic on my 'puter and turn it into a format to use as an avatar?

For those that use Firefox, Pixlr is a really awesome browser-based image editor, with many awesome features. It's closer to Photoshop than it is to MSPaint.

If you don't want all that hassle you can use something like theEl Jay Icon Maker and then just save the end product before you finish (otherwise you can import it directly to your LJ if you have one).

Edited to add: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> My real mug.

[MsPurlMcKnittington]

(But note that if I had an avatar it would not necessarily be my real likeness).

What rubbish! I'll have you know that I bear an uncanny resemblance to Sigmund Freud. Uncanny.

[McNutty]

Really, animated Avatars and smilies are annoying.

(bolding mine)
Amen to that. Plain old non-moving smileys, please!

Besides them just being irritating, it drives me fucking insane to look a a smiley and think "ok, he's blinking, then he's looking up...either this is an eyeroll smiley or he's about to start crying...I'll wait 5 seconds and, yep, ok, it started over with no tears, so this person intended to convey "eyeroll".

[Paul in Qatar]

I cannot get the system to accept my usual avatar. I get a message telling me it is too big. Is there an easy fix for this?

[Giles]

Paul, you need to find an image-editing program that will reduce the size until it fits.

[sublight]

I'm ok with them, although I've disabled them while I'm at work.

Incidentally, is the one I'm using too far into 'bad taste' territory?

[WhyNot]

Well, I've decided to try an avatar for the first time! Innit cute? This was on the cover of my favorite book when I was a child, called, of course, A Child Is Born. Sometimes I wonder who that baby grew up to be. S/he'd be in her 50's, I bet, since the book was published in 1965.

I hope no one finds it icky/offensive/oogy. I'll change it if so, just PM me.

[Dragon]

I just used the real me.....

[WhyNot]

I just used the real me.....

Man, the real you is so awesome, I bet strangers would use you as their avatar! 8-)




ETA: ARGH! Guys, I'm sorry I'm editing so many posts, but my sig is just not a general purpose sig, and I keep forgetting it's there until I hit Submit. Maybe I should turn it off until/unless Crispy can enable a default to not show the sig, instead of the other way 'round.

[Sarahfeena]

Well, I've decided to try an avatar for the first time! Innit cute? This was on the cover of my favorite book when I was a child, called, of course, A Child Is Born. Sometimes I wonder who that baby grew up to be. S/he'd be in her 50's, I bet, since the book was published in 1965.

I hope no one finds it icky/offensive/oogy. I'll change it if so, just PM me.

I like it! Maybe because I was a thumb-sucker!

[SmartAleq]

I cannot get the system to accept my usual avatar. I get a message telling me it is too big. Is there an easy fix for this?

Yeah, if you have it hosted somewhere like flickr or photobucket you should be able to resize it--I think it's 100x100 now. Or post it inline in your message and I'm sure someone will resize it for you...

[Savannah]

I didn't think I would like avatars, and had them turned off. Then I wanted to see everyone's! Now I have one, too.

At the 100x100 size, I don't think they are distracting, and one can always choose to not see them.

I loathe bloated, sparkling, blinking, animated signatures, though, especially when following a one-word misspelled post! Other messageboards are just not as focused on the content of the conversation as the ones that I love to read.